Part of cultivating wisdom as a leader is knowing when and how to delegate your responsibilities. Maybe you’ve tried to delegate before, but that person ended up not being “able” or “trustworthy,” and so you’ve just decided to go it alone. Maybe you struggle with fear and think about all the worst-case scenarios if you brought others around you to carry some of the load. Maybe failing to delegate is more about perfectionism or control for you. Or perhaps, on the other extreme, you have delegated too much and run the risk of losing some of your influence in your current role. Whatever the case, we can all continue to grow in this important area of leadership.
One helpful case study to consider is in the Old Testament with the pivotal leadership of Moses. He is set in the book of Exodus, which highlights God’s fulfillment of His promise to Abraham to make him and his descendants into a great nation. Exodus also records the history of deliverance for God’s people–Jacob’s family (called Israel or the Israelites), their entering the Promised Land, and the binding of Israel in a covenant. The first chapter points out that, “The people of Israel were fruitful and increased greatly” (1:7). But a new ruler came into power in Egypt who saw these people and their fruitfulness as a threat. So, he began to treat them harshly. The people of God had lived in Egypt for 430 years by now, and this new ruler was intent on making their lives very difficult.
But God provided a deliverer—Moses (chapter 2). Now more than sixty years removed from Joseph, God preserved Moses’ life to be raised in Egypt so that he might advocate and intercede for the people of God before the Egyptian ruler. After a series of supernatural plagues, the Pharaoh finally let the Israelites go, freeing them from their bondage (chapters 5-12). God led them via a pillar of cloud and fire (chapter 13), miraculously helping them cross the Red Sea (chapter 14), and providing food and water (chapters 16-17). At this point in the book of Exodus, the Israelites were a large group of people—camping in a wilderness and trying to head to the land that God had promised.
They weren’t slaves anymore, but everyday life was still very challenging.
In Exodus 18, we are introduced to Moses’ father-in-law Jethro. He not only believed in and followed Yahweh, the one true God, but also gave Moses some sage leadership advice. While Jethro was visiting Moses in the camp, he observed Moses’ work, hearing and judging various disputes between the people from morning until evening (v.13). The observant father-in-law then asked Moses why he chose to do that job “alone” (separated or isolated). He challenged Moses on this approach, saying it was not good and could result in a breakdown—Moses would soon get burnt out, Jethro cautioned, if he single-handedly tried to keep up that pace (18:17-18). Jethro described Moses’ lack of delegation as “heavy” (like a weight) and then proceeded to outline for him a more effective management framework.
Jethro first advised Moses to choose other men who were “able” (strong and efficient), who feared God, who were “trustworthy” (faithful or reliable), and who hated bribes (unjust gain) (18:21). Notice the emphasis on capability and character. Once Moses had identified men who met these qualifications, he could organize them to oversee small groups of Israelites, segmented by thousands, hundreds, fifties, etc. In this system, assistants would be able to help Moses shoulder the burden of leading the people and in the process, these helpers would develop as leaders themselves (18:22). Jethro also suggested that Moses teach the new leaders to use discernment between minor issues they could handle on their own and major issues that would warrant Moses’ immediate attention. And what was the result of this kind of organizational management? Verse 23 states that if Moses reorganized in this way, he would be able to “endure,” and the people would experience “peace” (satisfaction). Identifying and employing other leaders would ultimately lead to longevity and sustainability for Moses so that he could continue to focus on the mission God had called him to do.
What has been your experience with delegation? What areas of your life and work could be assigned to someone else so that you can focus on your core competencies and mission? When done effectively and consistently, delegation can be a tangible tool to develop leaders around you. If this is a challenge for you, I encourage you to read Jordan Raynor’s book Redeeming Your Time: 7 Biblical Principles for Being Purposeful, Present & Wildly Productive (2021).
In terms of organizational management, recruiting, retention, and starting or building a business, I’d also recommend the helpful book, Traction: Get a Grip on Your Business (Wickman, 2011). In this highly-acclaimed resource, Wickman systematically outlines six components that make up what he calls the Entrepreneurial Operating System® (EOS). One component focuses on attracting the right people for the right seats.
We don’t have to go it alone. When we do, we miss out on so many opportunities to develop those around us, who in turn, can help shoulder our burdens and responsibilities. This will help minimize burnout and maximize organizational effectiveness.
[Adapted from Volume 1/Devotional 14: Delegate or Die from the Wisdom Calling devotional series]